I Hope So
by Iggity
Summary: We're back to the missing moments. Number eight in my little series: Shell Cottage. Previously HermyandRon. I'm still the same person, I promise!


**A/N:** Eighth in my missing moments series. This seems to be quite popular from Ron's point of view, so I'm doing Hermione.

…well, her point of view, not her as a person. That's Ron's job. ANYWAY! I swear my heart broke when I read Ron screaming Hermione's name. I almost cried. Apologies for all the book quotes, but I assure you that it's necessary. And I also apologise for my horrible accent for Fleur. I'm _horrid_ at writing her. Really.

"'_Reckon she'll let me have a bit of the girl when she's finished with her?' Greyback crooned as he forced them along the corridor. 'I'd say I'll get a bite or two, wouldn't you, Ginger?'_

_Harry could feel Ron shaking. They were forced down a steep flight of stairs, still tied back-to-back and in danger of slipping and breaking their necks at any moment. At the bottom was a heavy door. Greyback unlocked it with a tap of his wand, then forced them into a dark and musty room and left them in total darkness. The echoing bang of the slammed cellar door had not died away before there was a terrible, drawn out scream from directly above them._

'_HERMIONE!' Ron bellowed, and he started to writhe and struggle against the ropes tying them together, so that Harry staggered. 'HERMIONE!'_

'_Be quiet!' Harry said. 'Shut up, Ron, we need to work out a way -'_

'_HERMIONE! HERMIONE!'_

…_Another terrible scream –_

'_HERMIONE!'_

…_Hermione's screams echoed off the walls upstairs, Ron was half sobbing as he pounded the walls with his fists …'_ (DH, pg 375 – 377, UK edition)

"'_And I think,' said Bellatrix's voice, 'we can dispose of the Mudblood. Greyback, take her if you want her._'" (DH, pg 382, UK edition)

**I Hope So**

'NOOOOOOOOOOOO!'

The last thing Hermione remembered was hearing Ron bound into the room, disarming Lestrange before she blacked out.

* * *

The first thing she registered was a hand in hers. The second thing was that her entire body ached and that random places burned slightly. She let out a soft groan of pain and forced her eyes open a bit.

'Hermione?'

She let a small smile grace her face as Ron's voice reached out to her. Slowly, Hermione turned her head and looked at Ron.

'Hi,' she croaked.

Ron kissed her forehead lightly.

'Shh, love. Save your voice,' he whispered.

'How did we get out of that mess?' she whispered, her throat aching.

'Dobby, Luna and Harry,' said Ron, smoothing back her hair. 'Ah!'

'What?' Hermione asked, watching Ron snatch his hand back from her hair.

'Didn't get all the crystal,' he murmured, examining his hand.

Hermione reached out for his hand and brushed her fingers against the palm.

'Crystal?' she questioned, glancing up at him before looking back at his hand to extract the shards.

'A chandelier fell on you,' said Ron. He reached out and lightly traced a line on Hermione's neck. 'Does that hurt?'

'A little,' said Hermione brushing the remaining crystal from Ron's hand.

'Lestrange threatened to slit your throat,' he mumbled.

Hermione's hands automatically flew to her neck and she immediately wished she hadn't moved that fast; all the muscles in her arms screamed in protest instantly. She blinked until the spots that were blocking her vision had cleared and she looked at Ron again.

'You were crying,' she stated hoarsely, reaching out and letting her fingers caress his tearstained cheek.

Ron cleared his throat.

'I thought I was going to lose you,' he mumbled, his hand gripping hers. 'Greyback almost got you.'

'I heard that,' she said, her throat screaming. 'Last thing I remember was you bursting into the room and Disarming Lestrange.'

'Yeah,' said Ron.

Hermione looked around.

'Where are we, anyway?'

'Bill and Fleur's,' said Ron. 'First place I could think of.'

Hermione tried to sit up but cried out in pain and crumbled. Ron grabbed her gently.

'Careful!' he exclaimed, helping her lay back down on the couch.

'Ow,' Hermione groaned, her eyes clamped shut against the blinding pain.

Ron slipped his hand into hers again, blowing out a breath.

'Is this what it felt like for you last year when I was poisoned?' he asked.

'Maybe; do you feel like your heart has been torn out of your chest, walked all over, and then put back?'

'More or less.'

'Then yeah; that's _exactly_ what it felt like for me last year.'

Ron kissed her knuckles and then pressed his forehead against her hand.

'How do you feel now?' he asked softly.

'Like I just finished three hours of non-stop exercising without stretching first,' she murmured. 'I'm assuming that I have cuts all over me courtesy of the chandelier you mentioned earlier?'

Ron nodded against her knuckles.

'I honestly thought I had lost you because of that,' he mumbled.

Hermione felt something wet drop onto the back of her hand and she stretched as best she could and threaded her free hand through Ron's hair.

'I'm right here,' she croaked.

Tears were forming in her eyes and she lent forward and covered his back with her chest, ignoring the pain as best she could. Ron's shoulders were shaking and Hermione felt his lips press against her hand repeatedly. He slowly started to rise and Hermione sat back, relaxing and watching Ron, wiping her cheeks with her left hand.

'I just … Hermione,' he breathed. 'Hermione, I … I just … Hermione, I think that I'm in lo-'

'HELP!'

Ron and Hermione both turned their heads in the direction of Harry's anxious voice, their eyes wide. They then looked at each other again; Ron opened his mouth to say something, but Hermione held up her hand.

'Go and help him. We'll talk later,' she whispered.

Ron closed his mouth and nodded before leaning forward, kissing her lightly on the mouth, and then standing and rushing from the room.

Hermione sighed and lay back, closing her eyes; for the first time in several months, she felt safe enough to actually relax.

'Oh, no, don't go to sleep!'

Hermione opened her eyes and saw Fleur walking into the room, her pockets bulging with bottles and vials. Hermione smiled.

'Hi, Fleur,' she croaked.

Fleur shushed her.

'Save your voice,' she said, pulling the bottles and vials out of her pockets and placing them on the table.

Hermione watched as Fleur chose the correct bottles and measured out the right amounts.

'Ronald told me about your leetle adventure,' said Fleur, giving Hermione the medicines.

Hermione gulped them all down, grimacing at the horrid taste of them individually and then combined.

'Oh did he?' she asked, still grimacing.

Fleur nodded, a knowing look on her face.

''E izz in love wizz you, 'Ermione,' she said.

Hermione blushed but grinned.

'I hope so,' she murmured. 'Because I'm in love with him.'

**Fin**


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